Find bargains at the Master Gardener's flea market

May 11, 2013

The Johnson County Master Gardeners are having their sixth annual flea market and plant sale from 8 a.m. to noon May 18 at the Johnson County 4-H Fairgrounds. What a great place to find plants, bulbs, books, tools and lawn furniture at flea market prices.

The Master Gardener program is more than 100 strong, and all members are active in some way. You can be sure they have much to offer for this sale. Seedlings, annuals, perennials, tubers, houseplants, vegetables and herbs have all been potted up and ready to take home and to get your garden started.

Looking for a tool to replace the one you broke the handle on last year? There probably will be one at the sale. They’ll have new and used tools along with yard art, containers, books and magazines. Perhaps you will find just the right piece of lawn furniture to fill the corner of your patio or porch.

The flea market proceeds go to provide two annual horticulture scholarships to Kirkwood Community College, 4-H horticulture awards and to support other Master Gardener projects.

Feel free to ask questions that day about the plants, problem plants at home or how to become a Master Gardener. The many projects around the city and county, such as the Plum Grove garden, demo garden at the fair, the plantings around the Iowa City/Johnson County Senior Center, the Firemen’s Memorial in Coralville, the Raptor Center at Lake McBride and the bright plantings near the Solon High School are some of the projects that have been created and continued through the years.

The Master Gardner “hortline” is now answering calls and giving advice on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 until 11 each week all summer. The number is 337-2145.

One question many people have this year is about their daffodils. With the deer appetite for tulips, daffodils are really the thing because deer and other animals do not like the taste.

Perhaps some of it can be blamed on the weather this year but there are other reasons why daffodils don’t perform as you think they should.

If you ask Iowa State Horticulture, they will tell you to “leave the foliage alone.” Yes, but it does get rather ugly and brown and in the way before you can cut it down. But it needs to do this to collect all the energy and nutrients it needs from the sun for it to push its way to the surface next year. When you think about it, each bulb is an incredible little factory, producing year after year with just the help of nature.

However, things may change in your yard. Shade may have taken over the once sunny area where you planted the daffodils. If so and you want to move them, wait again until they are ready to cut down and dig them up and replant right away. Or if you want to wait until fall, make sure you mark the spots to find them again.

What to do with the dying leaves? Some people do braid them, which others think is a waste of time and also that it keeps energy from getting to the bulb. Most people try to hide them behind other fast growing, larger plants.

With the promise of warm weather, gardening is getting into full swing. Check out the Master Gardener Flea Market for some good bargains for a good cause.

Judy Terry is a freelance garden writer. Questions or comments should be sent to her at Iowa City Press-Citizen, P.O. Box 2480, Iowa City, IA 52244-2480; faxed to 834-1083; or emailed to life@press-citizen.com.